Spain's Christmas Bookings Jump 76% But Arrive Later
Domestic reservations for the 2025-26 Christmas season are running well ahead of last year, but travelers are booking closer to departure, squeezing the runway hosts normally use to plan pricing.
EU Vacation Rental News
Italy Links National Rental Code to Tax Fraud Checks
The Ministry of Tourism has opened a new data system, BDSR LENS, that lets regional authorities, municipal police and Italy's financial police cross-check every listing's national ID code against tax and property records.
Booking.com Pulls Fake Madrid Listing After Host Account Hack
Booking.com has removed a Madrid listing for an apartment that never existed, after a hacked host account was used to defraud hundreds of travelers.
Arabella Hospitality Opens Milan Unit, Names Foschini CEO
Arabella Hospitality is setting up a wholly owned Italian subsidiary based in Milan, with Nicola Foschini taking over as CEO starting in October.
Spain's August Tourism Record Skips the Islands
Spain logged its busiest August on record, but the gains went almost entirely to Andalucía while the Balearic and Canary Islands stayed flat under license caps and local pushback.
EU Short-Term Rental Nights Climb 13.1 Million in 2026
New EU tourism data show short-term rental bookings through major platforms rose by 13.1 million nights in 2026, adding fresh pressure on markets already weighing caps on the sector.
EU Weighs New Powers for Cities to Cap Tourist Rentals
Brussels has floated a proposal that would let national and local governments impose tighter limits on short-term tourist rentals, though the plan is still far from law.
Germany's Winter Rental Bookings Trail Last Year by 6%
German winter 2026/27 rental bookings are running 2% behind last year's revenue and 6% behind on traveler numbers, according to Travel Data + Analytics.
Azores Rental Hosts Brace for Worst Season as Ryanair Exits
Short-term rental operators across the Azores say they are heading into their worst season on record after Ryanair pulled its routes to the archipelago.
Mallorca Books 53% Occupancy for September, Up Three Points
Balearic hotel data points to a stronger September than last year, with operators eyeing a longer shoulder season into October.
Alicante Startup Pitches Lower Fees to Take On Booking.com
A newly launched booking platform based in Alicante says it will charge lower commissions than Booking.com, but has yet to show it can bring hosts the guest volume that pays the bills.
EU AI Act Deadlines Now Hit Rental Chatbots and Check-In Tools
Legal advisers are flagging that hosts and property managers using AI for guest messaging, pricing or biometric check-in already fall under binding EU rules, with the next compliance deadline landing August 2, 2026.
Sant Josep Seals Two Ibiza Apartments Over Illegal Rentals
Local inspectors shut down two unlicensed vacation rentals in Sant Josep de sa Talaia, the latest seal in Ibiza's ongoing crackdown on unregistered tourist lets.
German Portal Study Flags Old-Town Demand, Skips the Numbers
A ranking from vacation rental platform Ferienwohnungen.de names Germany's most sought-after historic town centers for short-term lets, without publishing the underlying booking figures.
Spain Ranks Second in Europe for Chinese Golden Week Bookings
Spain trails only Italy in bookings tied to China's National Day holiday travel surge, according to data from Trip.com Group.
Puglia Pushes Rental Registration Deadline to End of 2026
Hosts operating short-term rentals in Italy's Puglia region now have until December 31, 2026, to file the required business notice and obtain the region's identification code.
Vienna Toughens Enforcement of Short-Term Rental Law
Vienna's city government has sharpened enforcement of its short-term rental rules, adding pressure on hosts ahead of a 2027 registration-number requirement.
Italy's Electricity Spike Piles Pressure on Rental Hosts
Italian electricity prices in September 2026 ran 73.3% above the 2025 average and nearly quadrupled from pre-pandemic levels, with tourism named among the sectors absorbing the hit.
Spain Sets January 2027 Deadline for Rental Agency Invoicing Software
Spanish companies that issue rental invoices must run VeriFactu-compliant billing software by January 1, 2027, with self-employed hosts and smaller agencies given until July 1, 2027.
Vienna to Require Host Registration Numbers by 2027
Vienna plans to make short-term rental hosts obtain an official registration number before listing, with enforcement due to start in 2027.